EDITORIAL: Ricker's campaign hit a sweet spot

Kenneth Ricker a write in candidate for mayor of Leominster waves to vehicles as the drive through Monument Square last Tuesday afternoon. SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE/JOHN LOVE

It appears the Leominster mayoral race is headed for a recount between incumbent Dean Mazzarella and challenger Kenny Ricker, a write-in candidate who may still be on the verge of pulling off a major upset.

However, Bouchard noted that 326 blank ballots remained uncounted, and Ricker would have to apply for a recount before they could be checked by hand.

Even if Ricker doesn't come out on top, his incredible performance has sent a powerful message to Mazzarella and his administration: Stay on top of the people's business.

When people are upset with City Hall, they express their anger in the voting booth. And Ricker was the conduit by which voters sent Mazzarella a true wake-up call.

Of course, that's not to downplay Ricker's hard work on the stump. He kept it simple and demonstrably effective. He chipped away at Mazzarella's handling of Leominster's school budget crisis that caused major programming and staff reductions at a time when positive academic momentum was building in the schools.

Mazzarella eventually came up with $2 million to soften the overall impacts, but it wasn't enough to make the public school system whole or to allay the feeling that City Hall was deaf to the schools' needs.

Ricker, a former dean at Samoset School, wasn't going to take it sitting down.

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He ignited energy and opposition into a campaign that would have been an easy walkover for Mazzarella, mayor for 24 years.

Parents of schoolchildren saw a legitimate advocate in Ricker. Others liked what they heard and joined in.

Considered a longshot at first, Ricker entered the final days of the campaign with momentum clearly on his side. On Tuesday, 4,360 voters wrote in Ricker's name on a ballot. Mazzarella pulled in 4,527 votes.

While Mazzarella can breathe a sigh of relief, the longtime mayor can't overlook the divisions in the community.

Ricker's voice has resonated with nearly 50 percent of the electorate. They want City Hall to have stronger ties with the School Department. For whatever reason, this past fiscal budget season did not bring out the best in collaborative efforts -- and students and teachers are now suffering the consequences.

Mazzarella has provided a lot of positive leadership. Leominster is better off today in many ways than it was a decade ago. Still, no politician can rest on his laurels in today's high-stakes environment to keep pushing a beloved community forward.

If Ricker doesn't win the recount, he can still claim an important victory: He got City Hall to listen. The rest is up to Mazzarella, to unite Leominster for the good of all.

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